U.S. home sale prices in December continued a 34-month trend in year-over-year increases, with December 2014 prices showing an increase of 5.0% nationwide compared to December 2013, according to the CoreLogic Home Price Index.

An easy way to increase the savings realized from your gardening hobby is to start your own plants from seeds instead of buying plants at the local garden center or from a garden/seed catalog. Get some tips on container, soil, lighting and watering needs to start your own seedlings successfully.

U.S. home sale prices in October continue a 32-month trend in year-over-year increases, with October 2014 prices showing an increase of 6.1% nationwide compared to October 2013, according to the CoreLogic Home Price Index. All 50 states show a year-over-year home price increase, and foreclosure inventory is down 26.4% nationally during the same period.

Now that it’s almost November, it’s time to get serious about preparing your home for the winter weather that is to come. We review a few steps you should take in the coming weeks to protect your home from winter damage and ensure that you and your family stay snug and warm until spring.

Learn more about two of the problems most commonly found by home inspectors – wiring problems and water damage. In order to avoid delays in finalizing the sale of your home, you may want to address these issues before putting your house on the market.

U.S. home sale prices in August continue a 30-month trend in year-over-year increases, with August 2014 prices showing an increase of 6.4% nationwide compared to August of 2013, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index.

If you have an Alliant mortgage, you may be able to increase your 2014 mortgage interest deduction* by prepaying your January 2015 mortgage payment. Your January payment must be received by Alliant by Monday, December 22, 2014. (*Consult a tax advisor about the deductibility of interest.)

Nationwide, U.S. home sale prices increased by 9.3% in May 2014 compared to May 2013. From April 2014 to May 2014, the price of sold homes rose by 1.1% while the overall number of homes for sale also increased. Since bottoming out in March of 2012, the Case-Shiller Index, which measures markets including approximately half of American homes, has risen 27.3%.

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